Zester with scraper assembly

Abstract

A zester having an elongated body with a handle portion at one end and a cutting portion form by a plurality of raised cutting elements at the other end portion. A lower member is moveably mounted on said body beneath said plurality of cutting elements to form a collection chamber. A flexible squeegee is affixed to said lower member to scrape zest material from beneath the cutting elements as the lower member is extended outward from the housing after use of the zester.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A food cutting tool for collecting material cut from a food item comprising
 a body having an upper plate to form a upper surface, opposed sidewalls and a bottom surface, at least a portion of said upper surface including a plurality of raised cutting elements disposed adjacent a respective opening to form a plurality of openings through said upper plate and being arranged to receive cut material from a food item in contact with said plurality of cutting elements, 
 a lower member being mounted on said body beneath said upper surface for selective sliding movement relative said body between a retracted position beneath said plurality of raised cutting elements to an extended position disposed away from said body, said lower member forming a chamber in said retracted position for receiving material through said plurality of openings from the food item cut by said plurality of cutting elements and 
 a scraper affixed to said lower member and having a upper surface generally in constant contact with said bottom surface of said body during said sliding movement of said lower member, whereby said upper surface of said scraper scrapes off cut adhering material from said bottom surface of said body during said movement for collection in said chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of raised cutting elements extend on said upper plate from adjacent an end of said body to an intermediate portion of said body. 
     
     
       3. The food cutting tool of  claim 2  wherein said scraper is moveable from said intermediate portion of said body to adjacent said end of said body during movement of said lower member. 
     
     
       4. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said lower member includes upper portions engaging an open-ended longitudinal groove on respectively formed on said side walls. 
     
     
       5. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said scraper is formed from a flexible material. 
     
     
       6. The food cutting tool of  claim 5  wherein said scraper is a squeegee. 
     
     
       7. The food cutting tool of  claim 4  wherein said body forms a handle adjacent said plurality of raised cutting elements, said handle being integral to said housing. 
     
     
       8. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said tool is zester. 
     
     
       9. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said scraper has a v-shaped cross section forming an apex to contact said bottom surface. 
     
     
       10. The food cutting tool of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of cutting elements are arranged in lateral rows on said body. 
     
     
       11. A food cutting tool comprising
 an upper member having an upper surface and a lower surface extending between a first end portion and a second end portion of said upper member, 
 at least a portion of said upper surface having a plurality of raised cutting elements disposed respectively adjacent a plurality of openings through said upper surface and said lower surface of said upper member, 
 a movable lower member having sidewalls on said upper member beneath the portion of said upper surface movement between a retracted position of said lower member to an extended position of said lower member, 
 said upper member having a handle portion 
 an upright scraper being affixed to said lower member adjacent said first end portion of said upper member in said retracted position of said lower member and having a upper edge generally in contacting relation to said lower surface of said upper member during movement of said lower member, and 
 said upper edge of said scrapper in continuous contact with said lower surface of said upper member during said movement from said retracted position to said extended position. 
 
     
     
       12. The food cutting tool according to  claim 11  wherein an upper portion of said lower member extend into respective open-ended longitudinal grooves formed on said upper member. 
     
     
       13. The food cutting tool according to  claim 12  wherein said upper member has a pair of spaced downwardly extending sidewalls generally in contact with said upper portions of said lower member.